The next Windows milestone, currently dubbed Windows 7, could very well be sporting a huge user interface overhaul. Now what makes me think that? Julie Larsen-Green (pictured to the right) is leading the Windows 7 area that is focused on "end-user interaction design and overall experience." You may not have heard of Julie before, but she is the one who pushed for the Office 2007 interface redesign which was a drastic move away from the menus and toolbars we had been familiar with for nearly 20-years.
I think that Microsoft would be smart for making a big change in the Windows user interface because Linux is quickly catching up. It’s just like how OpenOffice was on the verge of being a clone of Microsoft Office, but when Office 2007 was released there was a strong difference established between the interface of the two office suites. As users become more familiar with how Office 2007 operates it will be increasingly difficult for people to switch to the free OpenOffice.
So what could Microsoft do to drastically distinguish themselves from competing products? I’ve been wondering that for awhile now, and I’m sure Julie has some great ideas up her sleeve. One thing that I would really like to see is an efficient an customizable implementation of pie menus. I’ve talked about this before, but I think that using pie menus would offer increased productivity over the traditional right-click menu.
The other idea that is floating around the Internet is that the Taskbar will be replaced with a sidebar. This is seen in almost all of the Windows 7 concepts drawn up including the nice set by OSBeta. Here is a preview of one of their concepts:
It’s actually kind of fun to see what people come up with, but in the end it is Microsoft’s decision as to what the consumers will receive. Do you think Microsoft’s vision of Windows in 2010 is a little far fetched from where we currently stand? Is it time to ditch the Taskbar?
Source: APC
They’ll probably end up going with a sidebar copy of the Dock in Mac, or ObjectDock on Stardock. But seriously, the UI should be a distant second, or third, or fourth, or fifth in priority. When Windows is a turtle copying files, what good is a flashy UI? When Vista needs 4Gb of RAM, what good is adding even more UI RAM-hogging to it?
Baffles me how UI is the critical thing in OS’s?
I hope they go all the way in updating the Windows UI. We’re at a level where software is drastically improving when it comes to the interface. Programs like IE7 and Office07 are doing this largely by replacing the old fashioned menus. It’s time for the OS’s UI to be rewritten as well.
Oh My god, Is the the end of the command line freak?
The thing that kills Windows is that they always want to ensure compatibility with older applications. When Mac made their huge switch to be Unix based they left the old apps in the dark and started fresh, which is something I think Microsoft needs to do in order to make some huge advancements.
Me too! I never thought that a life without menus would be that great, but Office 2007 has shown me the light.
It’s hard to believe, but I think it could be.
What is wrong with using the command line? I my line of work (I work as a PC tech) the command line can be invaluable in getting problems solved or software installed. I also dable (a lot) with Linux (mainly PCLinuxOS) and I find that in order to realize the true power of the OS (this includes Microsoft) the command line must be used. As for the UI, it is a major part of the OS and is one that must be well thought out if the user is going to feel comfortable with using it. I am a big XP user and the first time that I sat down to Vista I was lost. It has been the only time that I have used it and I am not in a big hurry to use it again. Vista makes me think of Windows ME….Shudder…..
There is nothing wrong with the command line…I use it on a daily basis in Linux. It is true that the real power of an operating system lies there, but that is also the biggest point of confusion to most users.
As far as Vista being compared to Windows ME…I don’t think that the two can be compared. Vista does have some changes that take getting used to, but Windows ME was a stability nightmare. It crashed on an almost daily basis, and I’m yet to see Vista crash.
[quote]I think that Microsoft would be smart for making a big change in the Windows user interface because Linux is quickly catching up.[/quote]
That’s just it. Design decisions made for commercial rather than usability reasons. The Office 2007 interface has its haters too & I’m one of them. The woman in that photograph scares me – and I’m not just talking about the way she looks.
I’m sure every app has its haters, but it is quite remarkable to me how willing people are to adapt the Office 2007 interface. I’ve helped many people who have bought the new Office suite (or gotten it from work) and the universal reaction is that it is much easier and intuitive than before. They frequently say that you don’t have to wonder what a little icon does because it normally says right on the Ribbon what it is for.
Of course those people are not as tech savvy as most people, but that is a large majority of the crowd who uses Office. I think Microsoft did a good job catering to their largest market.
That new windoze look is awful (not that earlier windoze versions has looked any better), I prefer my ubuntu GUI any day, Ahh and that Julie-thing creeps the hell outta me.
Were it not for Vista I’d have probably switched to Linux by now – the nice looks of Vista and the general compatability keep me here. But I’ve lately been compiling lists of features around which I would design my own operating system. Amongst these things are the removal of the registry and large complex appdata folders, the creation of a proper background FTP server for network file sharing (because the allow/deny settings of Vistas standard sharing are far too confusing and its got no backwards compatability), getting rid of the massive number of constantly running processes, easier storage of OS settings for backups, better cataloguing of programs and more varied install systems. The UI is actually pretty solid, especially the taskbar and start menu – that’s the one area I haven’t changed yet.
Those are some great points you made Inferno_str1ke. I have been wanting Microsoft to ditch the Registry for some time now, but so many applications use it that I don’t see it happening soon.